Broken Engines & Crystal Hearts
by DawnsJediWind
Summary: SW AU: Anakin and Padme didn't meet as children. With the reveal of the Sith, and the rising of the Empire, the Jedi are forced into exile, and Anakin has to get any job he can in order to survive. Even if that includes escorting a certain Senator... Anakin/Padme, Rated M for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**Rated: M for future mature content, sexuality and violence.**

 **Disclaimer: I own Nothing! Everything belongs to there rightful owners (George Lucas, Lucasfilms, Lucasbooks, Disney, etc.) This is for the fanbased community only.**

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 **A/N: This story is running along the idea of "what if Anakin and Padme hadn't met as kids?" I know others have experimented with this idea, but I wanted to try my hand at it as well, as well as this is a kind of light, romantic respite from my other Anidala story, _Breakaway._**

 **Anyway, this story is set in the early days of the Empire/Rebellion, and pretty much everything that happened prior follows the original cannon-except...well, you'll see.**

 **This story is for my very own mom, who helped with the beginnings of the plot, and who's desire not to see Anakin as a whiny prat inspired me;)**

 **As always, constructive reviews are welcome! They help the writing/editing process a great deal!**

 **EnJoy!**

 **|DJw i n d|**

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 **1**

 **"H** ow in the world can you fly this piece of junk!" exclaimed Obi-Wan as he clutched the sides of his seat and tried not to fall onto the cockpit floor as his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, expertly maneuvered the relic he was flying through the asteroid field.

"I don't know," Anakin confused over the loud _whirring_ of the straining engines. In all honesty, he actually didn't know how it was flying it—or more specifically how the _ship_ was flying; he'd only replaced a few loose ends and shoved some escape intestines back in to the hold.

"Please, _please,_ Anakin, for the sake of my stomach, can you slow down?" Obi-Wan pleaded as the ship lurched forward and looped up and around a particularly big asteroid, nearly colliding with it.

Nearly, but not quite.

" _Anakin!"_ The panic in his old Master's voice was enough to concern the young man, and he reluctantly slowed the ships speed, searching for a safe place to land.

If there was any out here.

"Sorry, Obi-Wan," Anakin apologized, not sorry in the least. "I just wanted to have a bit of fun."

"At my expense," Obi-Wan mumbled, holding onto his jumping stomach contents with the power of the Force, and regretting for the millionth time agreeing to go with Anakin on his ridiculous mission. Why in Force name, did _he_ have to be the responsible one around?

Anakin grinned satisfied as he flew the ship over a "stable" looking asteroid, "You know, after all we've been through the last three years, you should really learn how to loosen up, Master."

"And what exactly would you suggested?"

Anakin shrugged as he steered the ship towards a nice big rock, "I don't know, get drunk, have a one night stand…"

"No, thank you very much," Obi-Wan crossed his arms, un-amused with Anakin's ideas. "Please consider the fact that I still have _you_ hanging around, and Force knows how loose you can get— _especially_ when you've had a little too much of Master Yoda's goodness-knows-what-that-is."

"Hey! I like it!" Anakin defended his past activities.

"That's what they all say," mumbled Obi-Wan under his breath, but Anakin heard it anyway, and glared at him before returning his attention back to landing the ship.

"Artoo, check on the engines and the hyperdrive, then set the quitrents for the Chommell Sector," said Anakin as he scanned the blinking screens before him.

"So, where exactly are we going? And what exactly are we doing?" said Obi-Wan skeptically. Apparently, he hadn't been well informed of their mission prior to their departure from Dantooine.

"We're going to Naboo to escort an important shipment to Coruscant," Anakin explained without looking up from the holoscreens before him. "It pays two-hundred credits _per_ day," he added dryly.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, we could certainly use the money," he said. "We're one step from being fugitives—"

"I thought we _were_ fugitives?" Anakin interrupted pointedly.

Obi-Wan waved him aside with a dismissive gesture, "Well, you know… Going to back to Coruscant is extremely risky. Do you think this is a wise idea, Anakin?"

Anakin sighed; that thought had crossed his own mine multiple times since excepting the mission, but he tried not to dwell on it too much, or the doubt and unease might consume him ineffectively.

"Master Yoda seemed to think it was alright," he said slowly, "and I'll take any job that pays that well. Besides, it'll take us into the certain of enemy intelligence, maybe we could find something to finally destroy the Empire." The hope was vain in his voice.

Obi-Wan frowned, "I doubt it. We haven't found anything yet."

"There's always a first time."

Obi-Wan was silent to this, and he fell deep in thought, contemplating all that had conspired over the last years since their exile from Coruscant. Anakin sighed again, and turned away, gazing ahead out across the asteroid field, out into the space and stars that had no reason to care for the wars made between them or upon them.

It had been three years since the reveal of Darth Sidious to the Jedi. The disguised Chancellor had been expertly multiplying the war and the politics of the Senator to gain total control over the Republic. He had even gone so far as to confuse the flow of the Force around the Jedi themselves, creating such a disturbance in the Force it had nearly cast them their complete destruction. Only Anakin had virtually saved the Order from that fatal doom; he had returned from killing Count Dooku and saving the Chancellor, only to be asked to become a member of the Jedi Council to relay in unusual activities to the Chancellor himself. Anakin's loyalty to both parties had created a sifted between them, and he had withdrawn, refusing the offer on the grounds of his deep morals. Palaptine hadn't been pleased with this, and put Anakin under the watchful eye of Master Mace Windu. Anakin had spent many hours mediating and resting, awaiting his next mission to bring the Clone War closing to its end. And it was then, that he'd discovered the truth, the darkness that obscured the other Jedi's thoughts, and the deep treachery that infused the Order itself. He'd confined in Yoda and Obi-Wan, trusting them alone and seeking their wisdom. Anakin could never have imagined the look of such hopelessness and sorrow that had crossed Yoda's face. They had come to the bitter end, and would be entering dark days ahead—if they lived that long.

With what other loyal Jedi were with them, Yoda had giving one final desperate attempt to bring down the Sith Lord and the rising Empire, but to no avail. Anakin and Obi-Wan had gathered the younglings, the Padawan Learners, and whoever else, and invocated the Jedi Temple in a matter of hours, just as the Chancellor proclaimed the Jedi traitors and ordered them all to be executed. The Temple had been attacked just as the last transport broke through the blockade surrounding Coruscant, and Anakin would always remember looking through the viewport and watching the noble towers come crashing down to nothingness. That had been the very last time he'd seen Coruscant, dark and formidable, shrouded in a thick layer of the Dark Side. He wondered what it would be like, but quickly ignored that thought; some things were better left unknown to the future.

The exiled Jedi had wondered the Galaxy, splitting up for better protection, and were soon joined by Clones who had mutinied against the Chancellor's orders, Captain Rex and his platoon of the 501st among them. They had all fled into the depths of space, into the Outer Rim Territories and even onto Wild Space, and here they'd lived, surviving on their skills and trusting in the will of the Force.

Barely.

Fleeing from planet to planet, star system to star system, they set up base wherever they could, but only staying there for a few months at a time before moving on. It was too dangerous for them to stay in one sector for very long. Many systems joined their case, sharing their growing disdain for the rising Empire that crept out even into the Outer Rim. Wherever they went, they would find some sort of rebellion slowly rising up from the shadows, and they would try to help the leaders in any way they could; smuggling supplies or help ambush a local garrison for ammunition…

 **.** **Θ** **.**

 **A** rtoo's irritated beeping brought Anakin out of his reflecting. He glanced down at the blue-and-white astromech that rolled up beside him, and asked, "What is it, Artoo?"

The droid gave a quick reply of beeps and raspberries. Anakin smiled, taking comfort in his faithful presence, and began to set the ship systems before him, prepping the ship for take off.

"What do you think has happened to Coruscant and the Republic since we have been gone?" Obi-Wan quietly wondered aloud, pulling himself out from under his thoughts.

Anakin didn't reply, he had no idea what might await them there, but he had the growing suspicion that whatever it was would forever change his life and the world around him. He wondered for a second time what exactly the important shipment was, and why it paid so much.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A HUGE thank you for all of the faves/follows and reviews on this story, what a wonderful welcome! I hope you all will continue the support!:D  
**

 **These first two chapters are pretty short compared to what I'm used to writing/publishing, but its _sooo_ nice. This is my relaxing story where I'm pretty much a coach potato when it comes to plot and where the characters are going:P To everyone waiting and wondering, the next chapter is going to be The One where all of the fun begins, so just stick with me until then...  
**

 **As always, constructive reviews are welcome! They help the writing/edting process a great deal.**

 **EnJoy!**

 **|D d|**

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 **2**

 **Seven standard days later:**

 **N** ight had long since fallen over Theed, the capital city of Naboo, when Anakin and Obi-Wan arrived, their ship sputtering and protesting all the way from the Outer Rim. Anakin was glad when they were finally granted clearance to land—more for the sake of the _Angle,_ as he'd ironically dubbed her, than anything else. But their supplies was also running low, and Obi-Wan was becoming increasingly irritated after sharing such close quarters with his former apprentice. As soon as they'd docked on the outskirts of the city, he had decided to follow up on their mission whilst Anakin and Artoo secured the ship and shopped for whatever supplies they might need before departing in the morning.

"I can only handle you for so long," Obi-Wan confessed grumpily as he made ready to depart. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone."

"I'll be as silent as a saint," Anakin promised.

Obi-Wan gave him a hard look, then turned to descend down the boarding ramp.

"Don't get into trouble either, Master!" Anakin called after him, smugly remember all the times Obi-Wan had gotten himself into deep trouble. "Me and Artoo don't want to haul your butt out of anything we don't have to."

"Shut up, Anakin!" Obi-Wan snapped in reply, his famed patience at an end. He turned away and disappeared into the shadows of the hanger before Anakin could think up a good response. Anakin chuckled to himself, and retreated back into the ship to retrieve his droid; maybe this exile was doing his old Master some good after-all.

It didn't take the two long to locate the market and specialty stores selling the supplies they needed for the return trip to Coruscant. Artoo was less then pleased to go abroad in Theeds, but the little droid didn't complain too much and Anakin was grateful for his impute on anything he might've originally forgotten to get. It would be just them and Obi-Wan, for the mission description clearly stated that there would be _NO_ interactions with the supplies they were escorting to Coruscant. Anakin wondered, not for the first time, what exactly those supplies were and what _made_ them so valuable. He intended to find out when the time and place allowed it, for something that important could be something extremely deadly in the hands of the Empire and the Sith.

Anakin sighed and frowned as he and Artoo walked the dark, empty streets of Theed. He was glad no-one was about—except for those out looking for a good time—it made him feel strangely secure under the street shadows, with the added bonus that he could get everything he wanted without battling his way through an unhappy crowd; it was early in the night, so most of the shops were still open.

Anakin and Artoo were examining the liquor verity in a foodstore when Obi-Wan comm called them with information relating to their mission.

" _I have been talking with Captain Typo, head of security for this mission,"_ he said. _"We will be leaving first thing the morning, and cannot interact with the other ship except through the comm channel. We will be virtually traveling by ourselves."_

Anakin frowned; he already knew this, but he still wanted to know more, "What about the supplies? Did you see the supplies?"

" _Yes and no. I didn't see it, but Captain Typo told me that we're apparently escorting a very important_ Senator _to Coruscant to pass an extremely critical bill in the Senate. That's why we can't have any physical interactions with the other ship."_

"So they want us to protect them, but they still don't trust us?" Anakin scoffed, eying the Corellian whiskey on the shelf before him more keenly than before.

" _Would you?_ " said Obi-Wan. _"Remember, Anakin, they don't know_ who _we are. We're not Jedi here anymore, and we can't be; it's too dangerous."_

"I know, Master, I know."

" _We do our part, and let the others do theirs. In the end, we're only here for the money."_

"Maybe," Anakin murmured. He still wanted to know more, and now, _who_ exactly this Senator was and what he or she was going to be doing in the Senate. He generally didn't trust Senators, and he loathed politics with an intense passion; at least he didn't have to meet the Senator quiet yet, Anakin cheerfully determined. He picked up the large bottle of Corellian whiskey and added it to their foodsupplies, then returned his attention to his comm and a waiting Obi-Wan.

"What did you think of this Captain Typo?" he asked.

" _He seems honest and trustworthy, and loyal to a fault,"_ replied Obi-Wan. _"He wouldn't tell me anything more about the Senator aside from the obvious."_

"Well, then there's not much we can do," said Anakin as he casually approached the check-out droid and tossed the foodsupplies on the counter, placing the whiskey up last.

" _No, there's not,"_ Obi-Wan agreed.

"I'll meet you back at the ship, Obi-Wan," said Anakin, "and we can talk more later." He cut the connection, and sighed, suddenly exhausted, and he didn't really know why.

 **Θ**

" **S** o there's not way to found out more about this Senator?" Anakin asked over the pot of steaming gruel the two shared between them.

Obi-Wan frowned and shook his head, "No, Anakin, aside from asking him himself and risk exposing ourselves. Why are you so persistent with this?"

Anakin shrugged and simply stated, "I want to know who he is and what he is working for, that's all, Master. Why are we getting paid two-hundred credits a day for protecting him, for one. I don't trust it— _none_ of it!"

"Well, neither do I," stated Obi-Wan. "Patience, Anakin, in time we will find out the truth. Meanwhile, we should be more concerned with keeping ourselves not involved and _out of trouble."_ He _glared_ at the young man, getting the message through with a pointed expression.

"We won't use our real names," Obi-Wan decided, continuing talking long after Anakin was listening. "If one rumor of our names reaches the Emperor, we are…"

"—Dead men," Anakin interrupted him, "I'm Lars Quell and your Jinn Lands. There," he sat back, smugly satisfied with himself, "that's settled."

Obi-Wan sighed defeatedly, and shook his head, but a small smile crossed his lips, "What _am_ I going to do with you, Anakin?"

Anakin shrugged again, "I…honestly don't know."

 **Θ**

 **M** orning came, and Captain Typo contacted Anakin and Obi-Wan with information regarding their route to Coruscant.

"There is a blockade along the Enarc Run," the Captain soberly informed them. "We should get through with little trouble."

"But we should still stay cautious," Obi-Wan advised. "Me and Lars will travel ahead of your ship, just in case we do run into trouble, we will take the majority of it."

"As you wish," Captain Typo nodded, respecting the others advice, and cut the comm connection without further ado.

Anakin sighed and crossed his arms. "Well, this should be interesting," he said, grumpily.

"At least it won't be boring, Anakin," said Obi-Wan optimistically. "Besides, after all you've done to her, the _Angle_ should be able to handle it."

"I'm… Not so sure," admitted Anakin doubtfully.

Obi-Wan turned to him and raised an eyebrow, "Are you…? Having _doubts?_ "

"No! Maybe… Yes—it's just we…have to take it easy on her, Master."

"Ah hah, I see…" Obi-Wan surpassed a smirk and returned his attention to study their hyperspace quartets as Anakin and Artoo did the final preflight touchups and readied the ship for takeoff. Anakin took a deep breath of fragile hope as he engaged the engines and hard the _stut-stutting_ response before it finally caught. He relaxed a little in his seat as he eased the ship up off the landing platform and into the air. The bright morning sunshine reflected off of the rusting metal plating, and for a few minutes Anakin could see the whole city of Theed under the raising sun. It was beautiful, bathed in sparkling steam from the waterfalls, the round domes of the Palace rising peacefully up. There were few places that Anakin had seen that looked so picturesque and beautiful, and he felt a pang of regret at not staying there long enough to enjoy it. This quickly vanished as they entered the atmosphere above the planet.

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan in the co-pilot seat beside him. "Are you ready, Obi-Wan?" he asked as Artoo prepped the hyperdrive.

His old Master shook his head, and softly said, "No, Anakin, I'm not."

Returning to Coruscant was going to be one the hardest and most dangerous missions they'd ever done together. It had been their home—not always a very happy home, of course, but it had been where they'd belonged, where they'd returned to after numerous missions and the horrifying deaths of fellow Jedi and Clones; it'd been where they'd hurt and healed, laughed and cried. And it had been destroyed, betrayed and mutilated by the Sith and Jedi's own brothers.

It had been fairly easily to forget what had happened in those dark, horrific hours as the Jedi struggled to survive in the wild regions of space. Easy not to return and open up those memories, those wounds. But as Anakin and Obi-Wan entered the hyperspace lines, all of those memories and emotions came rushing back to them and they final silent, remembering everything.

Artoo beeped mournfully, asking recalling the events three years prior in his own droid-y way, and roll back into the cockpit, plugged himself into the wall socket to keep any on internal workings of the ship, and fine silent as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: It's nearly been a mouth since I last updated, far longer than I intended, but here you go, chapter 3 at last!**

 **It's not as long and as action-packed as I wanted to be, but...oh well...**

 **As always, constructive reviews are welcome here! They help the writing/editing process a great deal!**

 **EnJoy!**

* * *

 **3**

 **A** rtoo's soft and persistent warbling pulled Anakin out from his light doze. He lifted his head, grimacing as he realized that he had been sleeping on the cockpit control panel before him, and stretched, rubbing the kinks out of his sore neck. The astromech worriedly trilled again, this time rolling up to bump against his master's leg. Anakin sighed and land a hand on his dome to calm him as he read what the droid said.

"It's okay, Artoo," he quietly promised, "I'm checking it out right now." He gave a quick scan over the readings before him, noticing on how far they come through in hyperspace.

"It doesn't seem to be showing up on these readings…" Anakin shopped short as he caught sight of a slightly off marker and the small, red light blinking frantically. "Artoo, plug back into the ship, check the engines, and boost the power cells if you can," he ordered, "It looks like we've got company."

Anakin spun around in his seat, quickly singling the other ship behind them, and impatiently waiting for them to pick up. A minute later, Captain Typo's crackling voice came through.

"Yes, Captain Quell?"

"It looks like we've got some sort of trouble up ahead," Anakin confirmed to him. "A blockade. We're going to pull out of hyperspace for a few seconds to regroup and locate a safer route to Coruscant."

There was silence on the other for far longer then the Jedi was comfortable with. He cased a glance at Artoo, and the droid swerved his head nervously in response.

"A report has just come from Coruscant," Captain Typo spoke at last. "It seems there are several blockades on some planets between us and the capital, it's not going to be safe enough to continue into the Core Worlds. The Senate has postpone the debate, which will give us the chance to find somewhere safe to land, and like you said, find another route."

Anakin gritted his teeth in frustration, and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. It always had to become complicated with them around, didn't it. But it wasn't exactly their fault that some of the planets and star systems just then decided to rise up and rebel, causing the Empire to take a sudden interest in them.

Anakin sighed and said, "I'm going to search for a safer world. My astromech is going to retrieve the quartets and calculate the jump to hyperspace; he'll send you the information as soon as I find something suitable."

"Yes, Captain," Typo acknowledged him through the comm.

"Send my deepest apologizes to the Senator," Anakin ruefully responded, trying to sound guilty for something he hadn't done… _yet._ "We will try to get him to Coruscant as quickly and safely as possible."

"I will, Sir, and I thank you," replied Captain Typo.

With those final words, they cut the connection, and Anakin slumped back into his seat, crossing his arms and frowning deeply as he tried to remember what sector of the galaxy they were headed for. He scanned the screens before him, searching the datafiles displayed within the nava computer. There was little that looked very promising; they were either systems entirely devoted to the Empire, or systems that were neutral or independent from the Empire completely. Either way, it was going to cause them to venture into unfamiliar and ultimately hostile territory.

The cockpit door slid up with a loud _groan,_ but Anakin didn't move or even acknowledge his old Master's grim presence. Obi-Wan sat down in the co-pilot's seat and glanced back at Anakin still searching the datafiles before him.

"I take it we won't be able to reach Coruscant within the next few days," he spoke unsurprised, as if he'd suspected something like this to happen—which in all honest he probably had.

Anakin nodded, "Several blockade between us and Coruscant. It's not going to be safe for an Imperial Senator, and _I'm_ not going to risk it for other reasons."

"A wise choice," Obi-Wan determined coolly. Apparently, sleep had agreed with him, but it hadn't—or more precisely the _lack of it_ wasn't supporting Anakin, he glared down at the readings before him and his frown deepened as he paused in his search.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, sensing the younger man's suddenly conflicted feelings, and casually peered over Anakin's shoulder to read the stalled data report.

"Alderaan," Obi-Wan read out loud. "Isn't that where Senator Bail Organa is from?"

Anakin nodded, but said nothing, still studying the screen.

"I didn't think we were anywhere near it. It would be a good place to stay—Senator Organa is, after-all, an Imperial Senator."

Anakin raised his own eyebrow and glanced up at Obi-Wan behind him, his frown being replaced by a sly, knowing smile, "Not _entirely_ true, now is it?"

Obi-Wan involuntarily blushed. "Well—err..umm…" He stammered, "Our good Senator doesn't really _need_ to know that, does he."

"No," Anakin agreed, "I don't think he does."

The truth was, despite all appearances that might say otherwise, Bail Organa was an strong supporter of the exiled Jedi, supplying them with food, equipment, weaponry, and information regarding the Empire and their interworkings. The Sith undoubtedly suspected the Senator of treason, but as of yet hadn't actually taken the time to condom him for it.

"It would be good to see Organa again," said Obi-Wan softly as Anakin quickly sent the quadrates for Alderaan.

"Yes," he agreed absentmindedly. "Maybe I can finally get the replacement parts for this ship."

Obi-Wan surpassed an eye roll, and said, thoroughly exasperated, "You're seriously not considering _keeping_ this ship, are you Anakin?"

Anakin took the time to briefly look at his former Master with shock and defiance in his eyes, irritatedly stating, " _Of course,_ Master!" He couldn't believe what he had heard! Of course he was going to keep the _Angle,_ why else would he spend the credits to get replacement parts for it?! It was a good ship…it just needed some care and a bit of tender attention put into it, something Anakin was quite willing to give.

Obi-Wan said nothing, giving up on the idea of lecturing Anakin on his instant attachment to things that included people, droids, _ships…_

"Artoo, prepare to jump out of hyperspace," said Anakin as he opened up the comm. channel between the two ships again. It took them longer to response this time, and by then his annoyance had heightened several levels and in varied degrees of control.

But this time it wasn't Captain Typo who answered.

"Yes?" A calm, cool, distinctly feminine voice answered.

Anakin and Obi-Wan stared at the comm, then at each other, neither had suspected a woman to be onboard along with the Captain and Senator…unless…

"Yes? YT-1300 freighter, are you responding?" the voice came through the crackling connection.

Anakin blinked, then hesitantly cleared his throat and replied, "This is Captain Quell from the _Angle,_ I have some information for Captain Typo regarding our turnabout rout to Coruscant."

A short pause, a thinking pause, "I'm afraid you're going to have to give the information to me, Captain Quell," replied the woman. "Typo is looking into a minor problem below, and I'm the only one available."

"I take it you're the Senator…?" Anakin began without really thinking, before he was rudely interrupted.

"Yes. Senator Padmé Amidala. Now, Captain Quells, what is the information you wished to relay?"

For several seconds Anakin was a little speechless, then, becoming aware of Obi-Wan close behind him, quickly regained his composer and hurriedly answered, "I'm setting coordinates for the Alderaan System. We happen to know Senator Bail Organa, and I'm sure he and the Queen will give us safe passage to Alderaan. We can restock, refuel, and see if we can find a safe route back to Coruscant."

There was another pause, this one a few minutes longer as the Senator undoubted pondered over Anakin's suggestion. "Alright," the Senator Amidala agreed. "Bail is a close friend of mine as well, and we will be safe with him. Thank you, Captain Quell, for suggesting Alderaan. I wouldn't have thought of it," she coolly admitted.

Anakin bowed his head, though she couldn't see it, and said "You're very welcome, milady. My R2 unit will be sending you're the coordinates shortly." He didn't allow the Senator to respond, turned off the comm. and glanced at Obi-Wan, who had stood by apparently deep in sudden thought.

Anakin crossed his arms and huffed out, "Well? Did _you_ know about her?"

Obi-Wan draw his attention back to him, and shook his head dumbfounded, "No, I swear I didn't. Strange, somehow that name is familiar…" His voice faded away, and he said nothing more, returning to the co-pilot's seat as they came out of hyperspace and Anakin and Artoo prepared for the next league of their journey.

 **.** **Θ** **.**

 **O** ut of all the trillion of planets Anakin had seen and ventured too, there were a very few—only a handful—that he actually liked enough to consider relocating if given the opportunity. Alderaan was among those; Anakin's personal favorite whenever he came to be there. Approaching the green-blue planet, he felt his former annoyance quickly ware off, and even began to smile again, the cool, calm presence of the peaceful world already sinking in as the two ships entered its atmosphere. Alderaan was the heart of the galaxy, a tranquilly shining diamond even in the midst of horrifying war; the people had devoted their society and their lives for peace and prosperity among the rising mountain ranges and deep glacier lakes of their home. The Queen and the Senator were advocates for the citizens of the galaxy, leading and support numerous cases to help the planetless, the wounded, veterans and the Jedi.

The two refuge-seeking ships were allowed clearance to landing platforms on the edges of the City of Aldera, and Anakin expertly mannered the ship down as Obi-Wan gathered up their sparse belongings and returned to the cockpit as he finished the landing circle. Two speeders soon appeared out of the lake mists; their escort to the Royal Palace.

Anakin got up from the pilot's seat and followed a stoic Obi-Wan out of the cockpit and down through the ship, fingering his lightsaber uneasily.

"Relax, Anakin," Obi-Wan said as they waited for the boarding ramp to lower.

"I can't, Obi-Wan. I have a bad feeling about this…" Anakin murmured, scanning the landing platform as they slowly descended down the ramp, his eyes involuntarily returning again and again to the other ship, the sleek silver ship of Naboo design. Anakin gulped, his senses on edge as the two disguised Jedi slowly approached the ship, he couldn't explain the feelings of underlying apprehension that had suddenly washed over him at the prospect of finally meeting the Senator face-to-face.

Finally meeting _her._

Two figures walked down the ramp of the ship, a tall dark man with one eye patched, and a shorter woman clad in a gown of light purple, a velvet, dark grape-colored robe over it, her rich brown hair half done up in graceful curls. Anakin froze in mid-step and stared intently at her, his mind swirling with thoughts and imagines.

 _He knew her!_

He felt he'd seen her before—maybe had even accompanied her somewhere, somehow, he just…he just…

Anakin groaned softly and glanced down, rubbing his tired eyes, trying to get the whirlwind of his mind under control. Obi-Wan had caught the younger man's distressed signature, and glanced at him in concern.

"Are you alright?" he whispered worriedly, laying a comforting hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"I-I don't know…" Anakin replied shakily. He looked up disorientated, and ran a hand through his hair nervously.

Obi-Wan sighed. "You can tell me as soon as we're in a more… _private_ place. Until then…" He fell silent, the Senator and Captain Typo were quickly approaching them. This close Anakin could clearly and unashamedly look at the Senator. She was very beautiful, a pale face with red lips parched in a thin, determined line, exotic brown eyes, whips of brown curls framing her face. Anakin felt his chest tightened, and his breath halt as the Senator turned her keen gaze on him.

"Captain Typo," Obi-Wan broke the silence, bowing slightly in both respect and old habit. "Senator Amidala. It is good to finally meet you. I'm Jinn Lands, and this is my good friend Quells."

"Captain," the Senator Amidala inclined her head at Anakin, then turned her attention to Obi-Wan. "I'm glad you were willing to find us a suitable place to land. I've known many captains that wouldn't be that generous."

A disarming smile crossed Obi-Wan's face. "It's all part of our job," he stated smoothly. "After-all, we're hare to protect you, Senator."

"Yes," Anakin detected a hint of uncertainty in her voice, and frowned.

"Come, Senator Amidala," Captain Typo worriedly spoke up for the first time. "We should go meet our escort. It's not safe to be out in the open like this."

"Of course," replied Amidala, and without further ado she let Type lead her to the speeders and their waiting escort, Anakin and Obi-Wan slowly following from a respectful distance.

Bail Organa was there to meet them, and he greeted the Amidala warmly, embracing her for a second as he said. "It has been far too long since we last met, Padmé."

Padmé smiled, her face lighting up, her dark eyes dancing, "It is _so good_ to see you," she said, her voice rich and warm, "I'm so sorry I couldn't come visit you before. They're apparently several blockades along the route to Coruscant, and my escort couldn't find aware else safe enough to go."

"Have you been threatened again?" Bail asked worriedly.

Padmé nodded and confirmed, "Several times. Apparently some Senators don't want to see this new vote go through."

Bail Organa shook his head sympathetically. "We will help you. You will be safe with us," he assured, and helped her into one of the speeders. As soon as she was settled, and Captain Typo and the driver were storing her luggage, Bail turned back to the Senator's escorts, and recognizing them, he raised an eyebrow in enquiry and softly smiled. Obi-Wan waved his questions aside.

"We have much to disgust," he murmured. "But only behind closed doors."

"Indeed," Bail heartily agreed, and re-joined Amidala in the speeder.

 **.** **Θ** **.**

 **"W** ho do you think this Senator… _Amidala_ is?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan an hour later. They were in their shared apartments in the guest wing of the Alderaan Royal Palace, a spacious room with a large balcony that gave a grand view of the Triplehour Mountains, and the now setting sun that coated the clouds in yellow and crimson rays. Anakin stood on the balcony, enjoying the view and the feeling of fresh wind on his face, calmly levitating an artistic ball over his palm.

"I'm not sure," said Obi-Wan, coming over to join him on the balcony. "I've done a little research, and it appears she's a well-known Senator in the Imperial Senate, a former Queen of Naboo, and a close friend of the Emperor himself."

"So we can't trust her?" Anakin raised the ball two feet above his hand, pouring most of his concentration into the action.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I didn't sense any deceit in her. She may simply be doing what she believes is right, and may not know any better. She is also a friend of Senator Organa."

"Yeah…" Anakin reluctantly agreed. "But…"

"Anakin," Obi-Wan gently chided him. "There are many good citizens under the Emperor that don't know what's truly going on, but that doesn't make them bad in any way. You mustn't become blind to their prospective."

"Yes, Obi-Wan, I'll try not to."

"There is something about Amidala," Obi-Wan mused, gazing out over the city and the faraway mountain range.

"You sensed it too?" Anakin let the ball drop back into his palm, and eyed his old Master more keenly. "I swear we've met before, but… I don't know—when or how."

Obi-Wan looked at him grimly, "You did, several times in fact."

"B-b-but why can't I _remember_?" Anakin looked confused and troubled at him.

"You suffered concussions after facing the Emperor," Obi-Wan explained. "You were under medical attention for nearly three mouths, and never regained your complete memory of certain events and times."

"I see," Anakin remembered now, the blaring lights of a medical room, the 2-B droids, the feeling of something vital lost forever…

"You were given at least two assignments to protect Senator Amidala when you were still a Padawan," Obi-Wan continued. "You were replaced once by Ferus Olin, and the other time you were only with her a day before being called away. But, you did meet her."

"Do you think she would remember me?" Anakin asked anxiously, if she did this trip was all for nothing…

"No," assured Obi-Wan. "You look _completely_ differently now."

"I bet I do," Anakin mumbled sarcastically back, though he knew it was turn. He was taller for one thing, his hair darker and longer, his face leaner, more scarred, his Force prowess stronger. He was very different from the bumbling, awkward, poorly cut haired teenage of a decade past. He sighed.

"Go, get some rest before they call us to dinner," Obi-Wan advised. "I have the feeling Organa will want to talk to us afterwards."

"Yes," Anakin agreed. "So do I."

He walked out off the balcony, locating a soft bed on the far side of the room and laid down on it, closing his eyes and breathing deeply to relax his tense muscles and active mind. He sensed that this was going to be a long evening, and that none of them were going to be the same at the end of it.

For bad or for good, Anakin didn't know.


End file.
